Apparatus for ornamenting ceramic ware



June 12, 1951 w. c. DENISON, JR

APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENIING cmmc WARE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1947 INVENTOR. 3 WILLIAM c. DENISON JR.

BY wizm June 12, 1951 w. c. DENISON, JR 2,556,

APPARATUS-FOR ORNAMEN'I'ING CERAMIC WARE Filed Feb. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \I W INVENTOR. WILLIAM C. DENISON JR. Fire. 5' By Patented june 12, 1951 APPARATUS FOR ORNAMENTING CERAMIC WARE William Cecil Denison, Jr., Powell, Ohio, assignor to The Denison Engineering Company, Columbus, 0hio,'a corporation of Ohio Application February 8, 1947, Serial No. 727,314.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to-the art of decorating ceramic Ware and is particularly directed to a methodand apparatus for applying design-bearing transfersto pottery, dinnerware, and other ceramic products.

In practicing. the method now in general use in the ornamentation of ceramics, and particularly dinnerware, the glazed ware has the surface area to-"be ornamented coated with an adhesive, thick varnish sometimes being employed. This coated ware is passed through a-heated chamber tocause thecoating'to become tacky; One or more sheets of paper carrying-theceramic transfer are then placed face down onthe tacky surfaces and the wareismovedto an operator who smooths the transfers and presses thesame into the adhesive. In performingthe latter operation, the worker holds the ware in his or her hand and rubs the transfer with a sponge-like 'pad which is kept moist-at all times. If there is more than one area being ornamented the operator must manipulate the ware and rub each transfer. In the rubbing, and :manipulation of theware, extreme caution mustbe exercised to prevent mutilation of the transfer or design. Whentherubbing operation hasb'eencompleted, the wareis placed on a conveyor-which passes it'through a series of jets of waterdi'rected against the were at various angles; Thesejets-soften the paper portion of the transferzand effect the removal thereof from the ware, leaving the-ceramic design adhering to the ware. Aiterra period. of drying, theware is fired to cause theceramicdesign to unite with or fuse into the glaze on the were making the design permanent.-

Imthe method described, the step of smoothing the-:transfer and pressing the same into the adhle'sive is objectionable because it requires the empioyment of highly skilled workmen, it consumes considerable time; requires a high degree of'hand and. results in the loss of alarge percentage andglor smudgingof the designs.

An: object of this invention is to provide a method Land" apparatus for smoothing and embeddingsttheztransfers in. the adhesive which will reduce-:the: handling, eliminate "the rubbin and produce :Waredecorations of superior quality.

Ai'further object of. 'therinvention is to provide azmethodx'of;:decorating ceramic ware in which design-bearing"transfers are smoothed and emwarex due: to the misplacement, distortion vide a method: of. decorating ceramic ware in which ceramic designs are applied to'the ware through the'use of a hydraulicallytactuated re silient pad whichisarapidly reciprocated through a short stroke whereby the pad will be repeatedly engaged with the transfer bearing the ceramic design to expel all air between it-and the ware and force the transfer against the adhesive.

Another object is to provide an apparatusfor use insmoothin'g transfers on ceramic Ware and forcing the same into tight engagement with an adhesive coating upon the ware which apparatus includes a press having 'a ram "disposedto' move in a pressing :and'retraction' stroke of predetermined normal length, the presshavingcontrol elements operative to cause the ram'toperform a series of'reciprocations of only a fraction'of the length of the normal ram stroke between the pressing and retraction sections of the stroke whereby a resilient'pad carried by the ram will be caused to rep'eatedly'engage and press the transfers to more firmly. secure the'same to the adhe= SIVB;

An object also is to provide an apparatusof'the type mentionedin the preceding paragraph with" a holder for the ware, which holder will" permit the pad used to. press the transfer, tobe'rnoved' into engagement with the ware with no tendency toshift' laterally: with respect to the surfaceon which the transfer is placed, thus eliminatin the danger of tearing the transfer or smudging the ceramic design'thereon;

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating apparatus and the hydraulic circuit therefor, used in carrying out the method forming. the'subject matterof the invention.

Fig. 2 isadetail 'verticalIsectional view taken. through the apparatus on the plane indicatedby. the line II]I[ of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through a holder. fora ceramic article showing...

ratus is hydraulically operated andthe hydraulic" system forsu'ch apparatus is-indicated generally in the drawing by the numeral 20. System includes a source of fluid pressure having a fluid reservoir 2|, a motor-driven pump 22, and a relief valve 23, the latter being adjustable to secure the desired pressure. A fluid line 24 connects the pump 22 with the tank or reservoir 2| and a second lin 25 extends from the pump to the inlet of the relief valve 23. Another line 26 extends from the relief valve to a control valve mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 21. The relief valve 23 may be of any suitable type, an outlet line 28 leading therefrom to conduct fluid directly to the reservoir 2| when the pressure in line 25 exceeds a predetermined maximum.

Valve 21 may be of any suitable type capable of causing the operation of a power cylinder, indicated generally by the numeral 33, in a desired manner. Suitable valves have been disclosed in the copending applications, Serial Nos. 594,963and 669,657, filed May 21, 1945 and May 14, 1946, now Patents Nos. 2,512,730 and 2,488,109, respectively, in the name of Cecil E. Adams, the valve illustrated herein being similar to that of the last-mentioned application. Valve 21 includes a body 3| having a bore 32 for slidably receiving a sleeve-like spool 33. Thebody 3? is also provided with a plurality of annular recesses 34 to 40, inclusive, spaced longitudinally of the bore 32. The sleeve 33 is formed to include a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of laterally extending ports 42 to 48, inclusive, certain of the ports registering with certain grooves in the body in difierent longitudinal positions of the spool in the bore 32. from the source of fluid pressure, is connected with groove 38, this groove being connected with the. interior of the sleeve 33 by lateral ports 45.

formed in acap 52 which is suitably secured to the open endof the sleeve 33... When the power cylinder 3|] is inactive the sleeve 33 will be in position to cause the lateral ports 44 to register with groove 31 formed in body 3| and fluid introduced to groove 38 through line 26 will flow through ports 45 to the interior of the sleeve 33 and outwardly therefrom through ports 44 to groove 31, this groove being connected by line 53.. with reservoir 2 Thus, when the power cylinder is idle, fluid will be returned to the reservoir'without causing the pump 22 to operate un der a load. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that fluid flowing to the interior of sleeve 33 through ports 45 will be confined between spaced heads 54 and 55 formed on the shuttle spool 50.

When it is desired to cause the power cylinder 33 to operate, sleeve 33 may be elevated through the manipulation of a foot pedal 55 or other suitable device to cause the registration of ports 42 and groove 35. When this registration has been established, registration between ports 46 and groove 39 will also be established while registration between ports 44 and groove 31 will be interrupted. At this time pressure fluid from line 26 will flow through a passage 51, formed in body 3|, to groove 35 from which it will flow through ports 42 to the interior of the sleeve 33 at the lower end of the shuttle valve spool 50. This fluid pressure will urge the shuttle valve in an upward direction against the opposition of the Fluid line 26 which leads spring 5|. When the shuttle valve reaches the upper limit of its travel, ports 44 which then register with groove 38, will be connected by the space between heads 54 and 55 on the shuttle valve with ports 41 registering with groove 39. Fluid introduced under pressure to groove 38 at this time will be directed into groove 39 and will flow through passage 58 to line 59 leading to the upper end of the power cylinder 30. A line 60 leading from the lower end of this cylinder, is connected by passage 6| with groove 36 which, when the parts of the valve are arranged as specified, will be connected by ports 43 with transverse passages 62 formed in head 55 of spool 5|].

The passages 62 are connected with longitudinal passages 63 and 64 formed in shuttle valve 50, the former passage leading to the upper end of the shuttle valve and the latter passage leading to the lower end thereof. Passage 63 is slightly restricted so that fluid flow therethrough will be resisted causing a pressure which will be transmitted to the lower end of the shuttle valve through passage 64. This fluid pressure will tend to retain the shuttle valve in its elevated position during forward operation of the power cylinder, this forward operation being caused when fluid under pressure is supplied through line 59. During forward operation, piston 65 moves in a downward direction in cylinder 30 causing fluid beneath the piston to flow outwardly through line 66. As long as this exhaust of fluid is maintained, the back pressure caused by restricted passage 63 will serve to retain shuttle valve 50 in an elevated position in which pressure fluid supplied to valve 21 will be directed to the upper end of the power cylinder.

When shuttle valve 50 is first raised, fluid under pressure supplied to groove 39 will be directed through passage 66 in body 3| to the upperend of a bore 61 in which a spool 68 is disposed for sliding movement. The introduction of this fluid moves the spool into a position wherein the fluid flow from line 26 through passage 51 to groove will be interrupted. Shuttle valve 50,.

however, will be maintained in its elevated position by the back pressure until piston 65 isv in-.

terrupted in its forward movement. The system thus far described has been illustrated and described in the above-mentioned co-pending application Serial No. 669,657, of Cecil E. Adams, now Patent No. 2,488,109, issued November 15, 1949, and no claim is made to this system herein.

When the piston ceases to move in the forward direction, the back pressure shuttle-valve 50 will be dissipated through the passages in the shut-.

tle valve and spring 5| will cause this shuttle valve to return to its lowered position. At this time groove 39 will be connected with groove through ports 46, the interior of spool 33, and.

ports 43, groove 40 being in turn connected by a line 69 with reservoir 2|. When spool is lowered ports 44 will be connected with ports 43 by the space-between heads 54 and on the shuttle valve and ports 43 will be in registration with groove 36, thus fluid pressure introduced to valve 21 will be directed from this valve through line to the under side of piston 65. This fluid pressure will cause the piston to move in an upward direction and expel fluid from the upper end of the power cylinder through line 56 to groove 39 as previously mentioned. This groove is then in communication with reservoir 2| and fluid from the upper end of the power cylinder will be directed to the reservoir. At this time also bore 61 will be connected arses-.58.

With the reservoir so that a spring beneath spool 68 .will.cause this spool to move upwardly and dispel fluid fromthe upper end of the bore 65!; When the Spool moves a .sufiicient distance communication will again be establishedbetween line 26-and groove through passage. per.- mitting fluid under pressure toagain be sup.-

plied to the under side of the shuttle valve 5!!- andthe cycle of operation of the power cylinder willthen .be repeated. By controlling the. flow of fluid from the upper end of bore 61, the dise tame-travelled by the piston 65in an upward direction may be regulated. The purpose of this regulation will be set forth later. 'It will be seen fromthe foregoing that through. the Tmanipu: lation of valve 2! piston 65 'may be caused. to move downward in cylinder 30 then reciprocate through a portion of the normal stroke thereof at the lower end of the stroke. When it is de-. sired to return the piston to an elevated oristarting position, pedal 56 is released and spool 33 permitted to return to its lowered position under the influence ofaspring H disposed between member 52 and cover 2 for body 3!. At this time fluid under pressure from the power source i will be'supplied to the lower end of the power cylinder and-piston SE-Will move in an upward direction until an arm 13 secured-to a-ram l4, dependingrrom the under side of piston 65, engages a. collar E5 on a shipper rod 16 projecting from the lower end of spool 33 and moves this shipper rod and spool in an upward direction to interrupt communication between ports 44 and groove 35. In so moving ports 44 will be registered with groove 31 so that fluid under pres.- sure supplied to valve 21 will be directed to reservoir 2|.as above set'forth. When this condition obtains, piston 65 will be maintained in its elevated position.

To. adapt the mechanism and the hydraulic system just described to the method forming the subject matter of this invention, the power cylinder is provided with mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 to limit the travel of the ram M in a forward direction. This mechanism includes a pair of rods 17 which project through openings formed in ears 18 on arm 13. The outer ends of the rods 11 are threaded to adjustably receive stop members 19 which are engaged by the ears as the ram 14 moves in a forward direction. When these ears engage the stops 19 further movement of piston 65 is interrupted and the back pressure existing under the shuttle valve will be dissipated as previously described. The direction of move ment of the piston will then be reversed and if the pedal 56 is maintained in the proper position, short reciprocatory movement will be imparted to the piston 65.

Ram M has its lower end provided with a foot 89 to which is secured a resilient pad .85 formed of sponge rubber, or the like, which pad is provided for engaging and pressing the transfers on ceramic ware, such ware being supported beneath the lower end of the ram with the transfer receiving portion in registration therewith. The foot 8E! has its lower surface shaped to fit the portion of the ware to be operated upon, in the present instance, the under side of the foot being curved to conform to the rim of a dish indicated generally by the numeral 82. In the event any other portion of the ware is to be operated upon, the surface of the foot to engage such ware will be suitably formed. In performing the method, it is desirable to keep the resilient pad 8| moist at all times, this result may be secured by any suitable means, that shown comprising-.atanig. 83 disposed in an elevated position and a conduit 84 extending from the tank to the foot 80. Suit= able flow-controlling means 85 may. be provided in the conduit to prevent excessive flowof the.

lubricant. The conduit 84 is flexible and arsuitable amount of slack is provided therein to permit the movement of the ram toward and from the ware. I

When the rim of a dish or other similar article of ware isto be ornamented, a holder of .thetype illustrated in Fig. 3 may be employed; thisholder includes base 86 and an adaptor disk 8-! supported for rotation in bearings 88 carried by the base. he 'b a es i o e in a t d P tion 9 that the rim of the article of ware will be 3 1 ranged substantially at right angles to tlr e direcs tion of movement oi the ram. The disk has ares sili-ent liner 90in which the article of war is positioned to protect such ware from breakage, the liner illustrated being slightly cupped --to co form to and locatethearticle of, ware. The is mounted for rotation asillustrated when more. than one area on the rim of the ware is tqbe decorated. If only one areais to be so treated a stationary disk could be employed. Such disk would also be used when the center of the. bottom of the dish is decorated. By using a journalied. disk and means thereon'for locating the dish the latter can be quickly manipulated by the operator-'- to bring one or more areas of the rim into registration with the pressingapparatus. When the apparatus is being set up for a particular op a-.- tion the stops 19 are so adjusted that the ram will move toward the work .until the pad 8 l has: engaged the ware and been compressed thereagainst. When the stops are so set and-the relief valve 23 properly adjusted any desired pressingforce may be secured.- When the ram moves-toe- Ward the work and the ears 18 engagethe-step; 2'9 further movement of the ram toward the work will be interrupted as above set forth. The operator may retain pedal 56 depressed causing the piston $5 and ram M to reciprocate through short strokes until the transfer has been properly smoothed against the adhesive on the ware, the pedal may then be released to cause the ram to return to its elevated or starting position. After a suitable training period, the operator will learn the length of time and number of reciprocations necessary to secure the desired results. If the valve mechanism disclosed in application Serial No. 594,963 is employed, the number of strokes or reciprocations of the ram and pad will be automatically controlled and all that the operator need do is press the operating pedal to initiate the operation.

The apparatus may be modified in many ways, for example, the resilient pad 9| which is attached to the ram 92 of a press 93 may be made of a size sufficient to completely cover the article of ceramic ware, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This pad 9| may be of any suitable material, such as sponge rubber, and of the necessary thickness to give the desired results. The article of ware 94 is placed in the concave recess of a holder 95 which is provided with a resilient lining 96 and located in registration with the pad 9 I.

When a pad of the type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is employed, a plurality of transfers may be smoothed and embedded in the adhesive on an article of ware at the same time. This pad may also be employed when an all over pattern is applied to ware.

The press 93 contains the hydraulic circuit 7 shown in Fig. 1 and is operated in the manner above described, that is, the ram 92 is caused to advance toward the ware and after exerting a predetermined pressure thereon or moving a predetermined distance toward the ware so that the pad 9| will be engaged and compressed thereagainst, the ram will rapidly reciprocate to execute a'series of pressing impulses on the transfer. These pressing impulses force air from between the transfer and the ware and embed the ceramic design firmly in the adhesive on the ware.

With this method and apparatus set forth, the period of time required to perform this pressing operation will be reduced to a minimum since it is merely necessary to cause the pad to move far enough in a reverse stroke to release the pressure applied to the transfer by the successive pressing engagements or impulses. In some instances, it may only be necessary to move the ram a sumcient distance away from the ware to permit the sponge to partly expand, in others it may be necessary to move the ram a distance sufficient to disengage the pad from the transfer.

Fromthe foregoing it will be apparent that the method of pressing design-bearing transfers into engagement with articles of ceramic ware has been provided which will decrease the handling of the ware and produce uniform results; the time necessary in producing the decorations will also be decreased.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

I claim:

1. Apparatus for ornamenting ceramic ware comprising a hydraulic cylinder; a piston disposedfor sliding movement therein; a ram projecting'from said piston; a compressible pad car- 4 ried by the outer end of said ram; a source of fluid pressure; and valve means between said pressure source and said hydraulic cylinder, said valve means being'operative to cause said ram to move said pad into compressive engagement with the article to be ornamented and thereafter reciprocated a plurality of times through a distance which is shorter than the maximum extent said pad is compressed.

2. Apparatus for ornamenting ceramic ware comprising a hydraulic cylinder; a piston disposed for sliding movement therein; a ram projecting from said piston; a compressible pad carried by the outer end of said ram; a source of fluid pressure; and valve means between said pressure source and said hydraulic cylinder, said valve means having a reversing valve; and means for automatically actuating said valve means after the pad on the ram has been compressed against the article to be'ornamented to repeatedly reverse the direction of fluid flow to the cylinder to impart reciprocatory impulses to the pad without completely decompressing the same.

WILLIAM CECIL DENISON, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name Date 1,086,400 Richardson Feb. 10, 1914 1,283,315 Rojs'enfeld Oct. 29, 1918 1,414,856 Bogaty et a1 May 2, 1922 2,013,067 Reese Sept. 3, 1935 2,305,553 orswen Dec. 15, 1942 2,438,514 Miller Mar. 30, 1948 2,441,164 Miller May 11, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 527,173 Great Britain 1940 

